Since 1896 when the Summer Olympics or more commonly “The Olympic Games” was first held, the event has grown to be the most popular athletics event globally. It has grown from a simple affair consisting of only 14 events to a majestic showcase of more than 300 disciplines involving competitors from more than 200 countries and territories. Starting 1904, the top three in any event are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in that order of finishing position. Insidermonkey experts made a list of the countries that have the most gold medals.

Over the course of history, a total of 18,553 medals have been issued to competitors in the Summer Olympics. However, the tradition of giving the medals was not always as we now know it. During the very first Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, the winner was awarded two items: A silver coin and an olive wreath. The runner-up was given a copper coin and a laurel branch. You can also consider reading our list of Country by Country Life Expectancy: The World’s 15 Healthiest Countries.